Video Production Experts

After folks decide they need a website video, the Pandora’s Box of video production is opened. Here are some things to think about after you’ve made the decision to create video content for your website:

The siren song of DIY… Do-it-yourself videos can be alluring as the siren song to Odysseus (“an appeal that is hard to resist but that, if heeded, will lead to a bad conclusion”). Using in-house personnel or friends/family to produce video content can be cost-effective (i.e. cheap or free) so many companies are tempted to go this route. But if you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, try working with an amateur. In the long run, you may face delays and lack of quality control that you would not face when working with a qualified video company. Also, the quality of the video you put on your website is a direct reflection on the quality of your business. Larry in accounting may have some neat videos he’s posted on YouTube. But it can be risky to entrust the image of your company to someone who may not have the background or experience needed to create video content that will be introducing your company to potential clients.

Straying from the story… Creativity and storytelling are vital elements for any video production. But getting too hung up on creating a funny, quirky video with the unrealistic goal of “having it go viral” can lead to problems. A video does not have to “go viral” to be a success. In reality, the odds of your video going viral are infinitesimal. But that does not mean you should abandon your video ideas. Rather you should focus on working with your production company to create content with a strong and effective message that helps promote your company and leads to more business leads, inquiries, sales, etc.

Trying to cram 12 pounds of s*** into a 10-gallon hat … When investing in professionally produced video content, some clients try to do too much in an effort to justify the cost. Long-winded scripts and too many repetitive interviews are common problems when people try to maximize their budget by creating more content than they need. What you can end up with in that situation are unwieldy video pieces that lack focus and lose the interest of your audience quickly. Attention spans can be very short for online video, so we actually use the phrase “Less is more” quite often as we try to help our clients keep their message streamlined.

This is not an “All-Skate” (Part One)… It can be tricky to navigate office politics and appease everyone in the company with inclusion in the video. But just remember that you are trying to create video that will help you to communicate with your intended audience (customers, donors, investors, etc.). Generating exposure and interest in your business should be a high priority of creating video content and you don’t need to include Larry from accounting in the video unless his interview increases the effectiveness of the message in your video.

This is not an “All-Skate” (Part Two)… Soliciting advice and feedback from more than one or two colleagues can create unnecessary hurdles in the production process. Of course, having a different set of eyes watch your video is always helpful. But sharing your video with even a handful of people can solicit numerous opinions and feedback (“Change the font color to green” / “The music is too fast” / “The music is too slow” / “Why did Fred wear that shirt for his interview”). Often times, that feedback has nothing to do with the actual messaging you are trying to achieve. But you may still feel obligated to address those items since you received input about them. So try to figure out how many people actually need to see the video before it can be approved and what feedback is actually important. This will help you avoid numerous revisions which extend the duration of any project as well as adding potential cost.

$$$... In many instances, a video company can work with your budget parameters to create high quality video content. But focusing on cost alone can cost you in the long run. Choosing to work with the company with the lowest price does not equate with getting the best value. Also, creating a video that does not tell your story in a satisfactory manner can leave you feeling like Sisyphus (whose punishment for lying was having to roll a massive boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down the other side, and then repeat the process for eternity). Having to do re-shoots or go through multiple rounds of revisions can be frustrating for everyone involved. So be sure to ask for video samples so you can be sure the video company you select is capable of providing you with the resources and the level of production service you expect.

I have a self-imposed limit of three references to Greek mythology and two references to “Larry in accounting” in a blog posting, and since I’ve now reached my limit, I guess I’ll end here for now…